Low stress suction or discharge reed valve for compressor

Abstract

An improved low stress reed valve especially adapted for use as a suction or discharge valve in a reciprocating compressor or the like. The geometry and the relationship of certain key dimensions result in a substantially reduced stress on the valve, thus extending the life of such valves in normal operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A reed valve formed of a wafer of spring steel and having a generally uniform thickness T, said valve comprising: a hub portion adapted to be secured to a stationary valve plate; four spokes extending radially outwardly from said hub portion and spaced equally equidistantly from each other; and an annular portion encircling said hub portion, said annular portion having a mean radius Rm, a width W, a generally circular perimeter and a surface adapted to seat on said valve plate to control the flow of fluid through a series of ports in said valve plate, said hub portion, said spokes and said annular portion forming four, generally congruent open areas each of which has a root radius R 1  forming the base of adjacent spokes, a radius R 3  of an imaginary circle tangent to the root radius and a spoke blend radius R 2  forming the transition between R 1  and the inner edge of the annular portion, the geometry of said reed valve being characterized as follows: 1. the spring thickness T being from 0.013 Rm to 0.031 Rm;   2. the width of the annular portion being from 0.20 Rm to 0.30 Rm;   3. the root radius R 1  being from 0.49 Rm to 0.53 Rm;   4. the spoke blend radius R 2  being from 0.14 Rm to 0.17 Rm; and   5. the circle tangent to the root radius R 3  being from 0.20 Rm to 0.40 Rm.   
     
     
       2. A reciprocating compressor comprising: a cylinder block having at least one cylinder formed therein; a piston reciprocatively moveable within said cylinder; a valve plate having a series of suction ports and a series of discharge ports arranged in a circular pattern and extending through said valve plate; a head member having a first chamber communicating with said suction ports and a second chamber communicating with said discharge ports; a suction valve having a portion normally closing said suction ports; and a discharge valve on the opposite side of said valve plate normally closing said discharge ports, at least one of said valves being formed of a wafer of spring steel having a generally uniform thickness T and attached in the central portion thereof to said valve plate, said valve including a hub portion adapted to be secured to said valve plate; four spokes extending radially outwardly from said hub portion and spaced equally equidistantly from each other; and an annular portion encircling said hub portion, said annular portion having a mean radius Rm, a width W, a generally circular perimeter and a surface adapted to seat on said valve plate to control the flow of fluid through one set of said ports in said valve plate, said hub portion, said spokes and said annular portion forming four, generally congruent open areas each of which has a root radius R 1  forming the base of adjacent spokes, a radius R 3  of an imaginary circle tangent to the root radius and a spoke blend radius R 2  forming the transition between R 1  and the inner edge of the annular portion, the geometry of said reed valve being characterized as follows: 1. the spring thickness T being from 0.013 Rm to 0.031 Rm;   
     
     
       2. the width of the annular portion being from 0.20 Rm to 0.30 Rm; 3. the root radius R 1  being form 0.49 Rm to 0.53 Rm;   4. the spoke blend radius R 2  being from 0.14 Rm to 0.17 Rm; and   5. the circle tangent to the root radius R 3  being from 0.20 Rm to 0.40 Rm.